Finally Home!

[campfamily]

That is one nice looking car!

Keith

[Loren At 65GS]

Rhett,
Yes I have had some personal experience with that switch.
I've owned a few Skylarks and GSs.
The blower is accessed from the engine compartment. As I remember, you need to remove the passenger inner fender to get it out. The switch is accessed via removal of the dash pad and the plastic dash surround then you can get at the screws that hold the trim cover around the switch and heater controls. When that is finally off, there are two screws that hold the switch in. It comes out through the front.
It's not all that complicated, just time consuming.
Best of luck,
Loren

[Chris]

There is actually a "Buick Service" way to remove the housing that John E. mentioned before that involves (get this) drilling a hole in the inner fender well that allows enough access for a socket and extension to reach the one bolt that requires you to remove the entire fender well.

This is actually documented somewhere in either the 65 manual or one of the service supplementals.

I think Tom had this decision to make last year and decided to just bite the bullet and remove the inner fender well.

Chris

[Bigpig455]

Chris -

Thanks for the info, I did see the service manual instructions where you draw the arc, etc.. I just hate drilling holes. Think I'll cross my fingers and try the switch first!

Loren -

I think I can do the switch without much fuss, although that plastic surround looks like it's pretty brittle! When your switch quit, do you remember if the motor would still draw power and dim the lights? It seems to me that if the switch smoked, it wouldn't have any effect at all, unless the switch was grounding out somehow.. I also noticed that instead of a fuse in the blower motor slot in the fusebox, there's an inline breaker. (at least I think thats the circuit, I only looked quick). I thought that was some kind  of previous owner hack fix but I see in the manual that some cars were equipped that way for "power options". What else runs off that circuit? The manual doesnt metion anything else.

Thanks again to all for your input - Rhett

[nut465gs]

Rhett,

I have replaced the fan switch in my hardtop a few years ago. I knew that it was the problem because I could get it to work by wiggling it around until the fan kicked in. Follow Loren's instructions to change yours out. When removing the dash pad, you will need to remove the glove box liner to gain access to the two hidden nuts that hold the pad to the dash. There are other visible Phillips screws that also hold the pad to the dash. From this point it will be obvious how to get at that switch. Be sure to keep the screws organized so that they go back in the correct location as there are different lenghts and styles of screws.

I have also replaced the fan motor in the hardtop as it created a hot electrical smell just before the 30 amp fuse blew. New aftermarket fans are available and they are very easy to replace if this is the problem. Access is from the engine compartment. Unplug a single wire, then three or four hex head screws will remove the blower motor with the squirrel cage. What Chris mentioned in a previous post about taking off the fender or drilling a hole into the inner fender, that procedure is only necessary if you are replacing the heater core. If you smell antifreeze and the carpet is wet on the passenger floor, that's the signs for a heater core repair. I hope that is not the case as this repair is more involved.

I wonder if it could it also be a blower resistor that's the problem?

Rhett, consult you Buick Service Manual, section 11 for assistance. If you don't have one, Chris has it available here in the electronic garage section. Good luck and let us know that you got her fixed.

John Egel

[Bigpig455]

Thanks John -

That answers some questions, my switch has pretty positive and solid action, so I doubt it's the issue.

I havent yet pulled the resistor (that'll be next), but the harness at the resistor shows no heat damage.

Good to know the fan will come out without modification (in the back of my mind, I thought it would)

I do have a copy of the manual, and also have been using electonic garage copy when I'm away from home - the part about romovign the blower motor on page 545 would lead you to believe you need to pucnh a hole in the fender well. As the heater core is still solid, it sounds like I can avoid that.

Your fan motor failure sounds alot like mine - except I've got the inline breaker in place of the fuse. if the resistor is good, I'll pull the motor.

You said they're available from the aftermarket - as in Napa, Pep Boys, Autozone, etc..?

Thanks, again - Rhett

[nut465gs]

Rhett,

You might be able to find one a NAPA, etc.  I bought mine online from AMC, Imports, 1040 E. 4th Street, Graham, TX 76450.  800-900-9560 or 940-549-0288.  Part # JW510-226.  Cost $45. It was a prefect fit. You might want to pull your old motor out and try lubricating it. That may free it up. Just a thought.

John Egel

[Loren At 65GS]

John,
Thanks for the extra input.
I was just going off memory, should have gone out to the garage and looked at the parts car.

Loren